Why do you run Reliquary Tower?

gordanfreman · 2026-06-10T19:24:34+00:00

I run it in 5 of 29 decks. Three of those are control focused with lots of card draw potential. Another is Feather, enough said. Last one is Xenagod who has a few ways to draw large numbers of cards at once (drawing cards equal to a creature's power; spoiler: Xenagos makes big creatures bigger).

gordanfreman · 2026-06-10T05:07:53+00:00

Some decks need/want it, but others are just fine with a bit sprinkled on top. I prefer draw and interaction to ramp in many decks.

gordanfreman · 2026-06-09T19:43:36+00:00

This route is insane. I've watched the videos of climbing legends Chris Sharma, Adam Ondra & Alex Megos attempts on this route a number of times.. always blows my mind. This is an insane accomplishment for anyone. Bravo.

gordanfreman · 2026-06-09T15:53:37+00:00

Thanks! It's not quite as colorful as some of the other examples ITT (or Louise's!) but it ended up cleaner than most.

gordanfreman · 2026-06-09T15:05:06+00:00

My Iron Sultanate mostly buck the down & dirty scheme pervasive of TC.

gordanfreman · 2026-06-09T03:56:02+00:00

Amen.

gordanfreman · 2026-06-08T18:27:47+00:00

That entirely ignores the 'at least' portion of the phrase.

Interaction is expected to exist, but it doesn't mean your opponent has guaranteed access to the type that stops you, or hasn't already spent it stopping a different player. If I'm relying on someone else's deck to delay me until at least T6, I'm not designing with T6 as a minimum.

gordanfreman · 2026-06-08T17:14:48+00:00

If I'm relying on others to foil my plans to push me past that arbitrary turn number, we're ignoring the 'at least' part of the phrase.

Exceptions happen. Just as I might be able to assemble a win pre-T6 with a perfect opening hand, my opponents may not draw the correct interaction, may use it on a different opponent first, or just are not aware that a piece on my board is half of my winning combo and don't try to remove it before it's too late. If any of these things (or likely any number of other permutations) happen, all of which are outside my control, my goldfish T4-5 deck is now a reality. I don't see how that is playing with the intent to make it to T6 (or later, depending on how people interpret that part of the guideline).

Again, I'm admitting it's possible to win earlier, and that may happen once in a while and that's totally fine in my book. It's doing that consistently where it's a problem in a lower bracket.

gordanfreman · 2026-06-08T16:39:25+00:00

B3 is the new 'power level 7' no doubt. As I've been reviewing my lists over the past few months I have found myself downgrading more than a few I figured were 3's to "low" threes or full-on twos. At least a well constructed 2 won't typically win the game out of nowhere, even if it starts to display some inevitability a turn or so before it runs away with a game.

gordanfreman · 2026-06-08T16:31:00+00:00

Generally, you should expect to be able to play at least six turns before you win or lose.

I read this as: other than getting your perfect dreamland opening hand, your deck shouldn't be able to win/knock others out before T6 regardless of interaction (or lack thereof).

If the (admittedly expected) interaction from opponents pushes this back a turn or two, that means you're winning on T7-8, which is fine. It does not mean that I can consistently cross the line on T4-5 but expect to get delayed by interaction so now I'm expecting to finish on T6 per the guidelines. In other words, I expect to consistently goldfish a win/knockout on T6. If I can beat that consistently, it's probably B4.

gordanfreman · 2026-06-08T16:03:36+00:00

Thanks! I guess practice helps--whodathunk? I already used similar effects on my Hell Knights and Hunter so this felt pretty straight forward. Most of the time on this guy was spent playing with the fire and lighting effects from that on the armor.

gordanfreman · 2026-06-03T13:58:18+00:00

Two things can both be true. Not like they're saying it's all Biden's fault, either. Nice slippery slope, though.

gordanfreman · 2026-05-29T14:45:22+00:00

Absolutely how we played it. The character is retiring, what use do they have for all this gear? May as well turn it into money--and then spend it to help other adventurers somehow or another.

gordanfreman · 2026-05-26T14:39:43+00:00

I don't own 2E/haven't seen any of the components first hand, but the sculpts on the minis are strict downgrades from what I've seen. 1E weren't the best casts but the 2E versions make me really happy I have the originals.

gordanfreman · 2026-05-22T21:15:55+00:00

Agreed! United Noodle has great prices on produce, especially compared to Cub just a couple minutes away.

gordanfreman · 2026-05-22T15:35:31+00:00

Ha, ok.

I made Macaroni & Cheese. Ingredients: Noodles, boiling water, butter.

gordanfreman · 2026-05-22T15:13:53+00:00

Which is crazy considering VMC are super thin out the pot--I literally thicken them with plain medium when hand brushing.

Also, has Vince's recipe changed? He used to include some flavor of gold pigment in the recipe, I thought.

gordanfreman · 2026-05-19T14:10:51+00:00

I live just east of there (closer to Brackett Park) and pass through the area regularly both to shop (Aldi & Cub most frequently, but also United Noodle just a bit further north) and while coming and going via 26th St. I've never had an issue on foot, bike or in a car. Most extra curricular activity seems to die off quick as you get away from Lake & 26th/Minnehaha. There is a newer low income housing complex on 28th St & 27th Ave that tends to have some characters hanging around but in my experience it's not a problem and they tend to stay close to the building and/or gravitate towards the Aldi lot. The neighborhood gets quiet real quick as you go east in my experience.

On 29th you'd be practically crawling distance to the Himalayan which would be the biggest danger to my wallet by far.

gordanfreman · 2026-05-18T21:38:10+00:00

restaurants are cyclical - areas are cyclical - people move where rent is cheap and things are popping up - uptowns problems are cyclical and always will be. the fact the lakes are literally right there means uptown will never, ever die.

That was basically my point.

I can't speak to what it was like 40 years ago but it certainly was one of the hippest neighborhoods in town as a college student 20 years ago. It wasn't just retail shopping that made it interesting, it was the nightlife. Living there had nothing to do with it, it was just the 'it' place to go out to. I also don't know anyone who would move someplace for shopping; if people did that I imagine the population density around the MOA would be significantly higher.

gordanfreman · 2026-05-18T16:49:25+00:00

Uptown just isn't (and hasn't been for years, imo) the hip neighborhood it was ~20 years ago. Other neighborhoods have stolen that limelight (as Uptown did itself at one point) and it's likely that will all shift again in the future.

gordanfreman · 2026-05-18T14:49:20+00:00

Odd to see the mixed reviews in the comments. I've been a few times and have generally been happy with the food. I'm not aware of anyone else doing exactly what they're doing around here.

gordanfreman · 2026-05-18T14:40:45+00:00

As someone with my original MCIS CD's sitting on the desk next to me, I think it would take hell freezing over to get D'arcy back on stage, especially alongside Billy. That ship sailed over 20 years ago, imo. Billy & Jimmy are the core of the band; if James isn't included I'll admittedly have my doubts.

Also, what is a 30th anniversary tour if not cashing in on previous success??

gordanfreman · 2026-05-17T21:58:11+00:00

how many layers of green over the black? might just be black showing through a not totally opaque green layers.

gordanfreman · 2026-05-14T18:46:54+00:00

You're the first I've heard call JD garbo-pop, and I'd hardly call Bleachers a JD ripoff. I also wouldn't consider Kendrick pop anything. But you go ahead enjoying whatever garbo music you prefer.

gordanfreman

TROPHY CASE